


Geode

by Hattingmad



Category: Heart no Kuni no Alice | Alice in the Country of Hearts
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-23
Updated: 2017-04-23
Packaged: 2018-10-23 00:41:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10708545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hattingmad/pseuds/Hattingmad
Summary: Based off a scene in one of the games. Originally, it's Ace trolling Julius, who comes to the rescue just in the nick of time, but I wanted to see what would happen if our favorite psychopath had some more time on his side.





	Geode

 

There should have been nothing particularly interesting about this scene. There was Ace, camping as usual. At least he wasn't _inside_  the palace this time. There was his tent, and the little campfire, and Ace, sitting cross-legged beside it, a knife in one hand, and something small and glinting in his other palm.

 

Everything was completely normal...

 

wait a minute. Did I say 'something small and glinting'?

 

I changed directions, veering toward his campsite, before crouching down by the fire next to him.

 

"Oh, hey, Alice! Couldn't resist the lure of the great outdoors, huh?" He nodded sagely. "I completely understand. Just smell that fresh air." He took a deep breath, promptly sneezing at the overwhelming scent of roses. We _were_  in the Queen's gardens, after all.

 

"Actually, I was just wondering. What're you working on?" I nodded toward his left hand.

 

"Oh, this? Here, take a look." Ace opened his palm and showed me the small object resting there: a delicate earring with a golden post and dangling polished gemstones.

 

This was pretty much the last thing I was expecting him to be carrying, period, and I said as much, before lightly poking at it, moving it this way and that to catch the light as it rolled on his hand.

 

"It's beautiful," I said, genuine admiration in my voice. "I don't think I've ever seen anything so perfectly dainty and...elegant. I don't recognize the style, but I wish I did! It's truly lovely." A thought occurred to me, and I turned to stare at Ace, skepticism in my gaze. "You didn't steal it off a corpse, did you?" I hoped, passionately, that he hadn't taken to collecting gruesome trophies of his kills. The man was enough of a serial killer as it was. A small shudder ran through me, and Ace looked back at me with wounded, puppy-dog eyes. I wasn't falling for it, and crossed my arms, waiting for an answer.

 

"I'm not a thief," he said, patiently. "It would go against my honor as a knight!" I just rolled my eyes at the bullshit line.

 

"Uh-huh."

 

"But..." and he seemed to hesitate slightly before asking, "you really like it?"

 

"I do," I confirmed, smiling at the pretty little thing.

 

Ace seemed to puff up with pride a little.

 

"That's a relief. I didn't get it right on my first try, you know. I'm not exactly a craftsman, and there wasn't much room for error with something so tiny. The metalwork alone gave me a lot of trouble..."

 

My head jerked up and I stared at him again, needing to confirm what I'd just heard.

 

"Wait. You...made this?" I couldn't keep the amazement out of my voice, and Ace seemed to straighten up even more with self-importance.

 

"Like I said, over the course of several attempts. But yes. Pretty cool, right?"

 

"That's amazing, Ace." It was all I could say. I couldn't imagine how much time and effort he'd probably put into shaping it. "Oh! Is it a gift for someone?"

 

The alternative was him making it for himself, but it looked too feminine for him to wear. I had seen a few men with pierced ears before, of course, but Ace wasn't really the type, even setting aside the style.

 

"Of course. I wouldn't make something by hand like this unless it was for someone I liked. Recognize the stones?"

 

Now that he mentioned it...

 

"They look kind of like that huge geode we found in the forest a while back... wait, you didn't!"

 

He nodded again, grinning.

 

"You cut that out of the rock and polished it?" Another nod. "Shut UP!"

 

His efforts were sounding more and more impressive by the minute. This sword-swinging idiot, only good at fighting and getting lost, took a sparkly rock from the ground and, through trial and error--so, _so_ much error, I was sure--crafted something that looked professional. Expensive, even. Who on earth was he making this for?

 

I realized Ace was talking again, and snapped out of internal-speculation-land.

 

"I said it then, remember? If I could make something you'd like out of it, you'd take the stone. Well? Don't you think you'd look good with pierced earrings?"

 

He stared at me, smiling, expectant, like a little boy pleased with himself, wanting to be praised.  He'd made this... for _me_.

 

Stunned, I blurted out, almost reflexive, "I can't take it!"

 

"Why?" He cocked his head at me, perplexed. "We're close, you and me. I like you. Can't I give something to the girl I like?"

 

The words would make me blush if I thought he really meant them like _that._ But, as it was...

 

"That's--we're friends, Ace. Friends don't give each other gifts like this."

 

The expression on his face looked practically _pouty,_ and his voice had a note in it that was startlingly close to whining.

 

"But it's the stone you found, and it's something I worked hard to make, so, won't you take it?"

 

I stammered, only now noticing how he'd backed me into a conversational corner. What on earth could I say now? Oh!

 

"I, er, don't have pierced ears anymore. The holes closed up. So even if I wanted to take it, I couldn't." I told him apologetically, and shrugged. That should be the end of it, right?

 

He relaxed his face and smiled, cheerful again, but it seemed ominous somehow.

 

"Oh, is that all? Lend me your ears, please." He rotated the small knife in his hand meaningfully.

 

I frowned at him, and frowned even more at the knife.

 

"That isn't a funny joke!"

 

He lowered the hand holding the jewel and, quick as a flash, raised the hand holding the knife to my ear. If I moved, I would be cut. Certainly. 

 

"I'm not joking. I wouldn't damage a girl just for a joke." His voice was level, and he definitely _sounded_ serious. I felt cold sweat start to trickle down the back of my neck.

 

"That's even worse!" I snapped, trying to hold onto my anger. This wasn't even the first time Ace had threatened me with bodily harm, dammit. Yet, I still hung out with him, like some kind of brainwashed idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid. This is your own fault, Alice, I scolded myself.

 

"Where is good? I'm hesitant because your ear is soft." Ace stroked a fingertip lightly over my earlobe, commenting, "you feel nice everywhere." 

 

My stupid, treacherous heart thumped, and I felt a flush spreading from my cheeks to the rest of my face. This wasn't a situation I should be blushing in. I was in physical danger, so why were his words and his touch affecting me this way? Stupid, stupid...

 

"It's alright. I'm not as confident in my skills with a short knife, so I'll take care when making the hole." Was he trying to be soothing, here?

 

"You don't pierce ears with a knife!!!!" This was the main point, and the one I kept coming back to, more and more strenuously.

 

The point of the knife touched the lobe of my ear.

 

"Hold still or I'll slip. I'll be gentle, so there won't be any pain."

 

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard, pleading with the universe, _please don't let me bleed everywhere, please don't let it hurt too much, please let me heal fast, please please please..._

 

There was pressure on my face, but not on my ears, where I was expecting it--on my lips. Pressure, and movement, and warmth...and the metallic tang of blood, and something indescribable, but undeniably _male_... Confused, I opened my mouth to speak, and something touched my tongue--

 

Dimly, I was aware of movement by my ears, but I was more preoccupied with the fact that Ace was...kissing me! No, not just kissing me, but French-kissing! There was tongue! Tongue in my mouth! Incensed by the intrusion, I pushed at his tongue with my own, trying to force it back inside his mouth, and away from mine. Ace just chuckled, and I _felt_ it on my lips. He slowly drew back, and a strand of saliva hung between us for a second, before I wiped my lips vigorously... Now I guess I knew how Peter felt, I thought vaguely, and that thought just disgusted me even more.

 

"What the **** was _that_ for, you **** ***??" I swore colorfully at him. He dodged nimbly and easily out of the way of my flying fist, winking at me.

 

"They look as good as I hoped they would on you," he said softly. Then his mood changed again, and he waved a hand at me before plunging right through a rose-bush. "Later, Alice!"

 

I touched my ears in confusion, belatedly realizing that I was now wearing the earrings Ace had made, and that...just as promised...it hadn't hurt a bit. Probably because of that assault on my mouth, but still, he'd kept his word. Huh.

 

Faintly, I heard a crash, and a mumbled, "but I thought the clock tower was this way?"

 

I sighed heavily, and braced myself to go after him. Even I couldn't have told you why.

 

"That's the wrong way, you idiot!"

 

* * *

There was nothing particularly interesting or unusual about this scene, I repeated to myself. It was a completely normal interaction, and a completely normal day.

 

Nothing had changed.

 

I touched my ears.

 

...nothing at all.


End file.
